Process of producing continuous sheets of dough for biscuits or like products.



E. E. LAWRENCE.

PROCESS OF PRODUCING CONTINUOUS SHEETS 0F DOUGH FOR BISCUTS 0R LIKE PRODUCTS. APPLICATION FILED JMLB. 1915.

1 91C 496, Patented Jan. 2,1917.

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E. E. LAWRENCE.

PROCESS OF PRODUCING CONTINUOUS SHEETS 0F DOUGH FOR BISCUITS 0R LIKE PRODUCTS.

APPLICATION FILED MN. 8, I915.

1,210,496. Patented Jan. 2, 1917.

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EDWARD E. LAWRENCE, OF CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR, TO LOOSE-W'ILES BISCUIT COMPANY, OF KANSAS CITY,

MISSOURI, A CORPORATION OF MISSOURI.

PROCESS OF PRODUCING CONTINUOUS SHEETS 0F DOUGH FOR BISCUITS 0R LIKE PRODUCTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 2, 1917.

Original application filed April 16, 1914, Serial No. 832,397. Divided and this application filed January 8,

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, EDWARD E. LAWRENCE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Cambridge, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Processes of Producing Continuous Sheets of Dough for Biscuits or like Products, of which the following descripticn, in connectionwith the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to the process of producing continuous sheets of dough for biscuit, or like manufacture.

This application is a division of my copending application, Serial No. 832,397, filed April 16, 1914:, now Patent No. 1,184,970, dated April 6, 1915.

In order that the principle of the invention may readily be understood, I have disclosed a single embodiment of one form of means for carrying out my process in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is an elevation from the righthand side of one form of apparatus for practising my invention; Fig. 2 is an elevation of the left-hand side thereof; Fig. 3 is a plan view thereof; Fig. 4 is an elevation of the front, or feeding end of the apparatus; Fig. 5 is an elevation of the delivery end thereof. a ortion of the apparatus being shown in transverse section; Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section taken through the apparatus, a portion of the delivery end thereof being broken away; Fig. 7 is a horizontal, longitudinal section of the apparatus, and showing the variable speed drive mechanism; Fig. Sis a plan view of one of the travelingcompression surfaces; and Fig. 9 is an end elevation thereof.

Heretofore, so far as I am aware, it has been the pr ctice to prepare sheets of dough for biscuit cutting and like machines by feeding a mass of dough between a single pair of rollers, which are driven first in one, and then in the opposite direction, so that the mass is brought into sheet form by being passed back and forth repeatedly between said rollers. Not only are two persons required to feed the sheet, or layer, back and forth until the proper thickness thereof is obtained, but the sheets are of comparatively short lengths, and in order to feed sheet-like material continuously to the bis- Serial No. 1,219.

ouit cutter, or other machine, it has been necessary to lap the sheets, this being done customarily at intervals of about 30 inches. These lapped sheets are passed between the so-called gaging rolls of the biscuit-cutting or other machine. This lapping operation is very objectionable, in that thicker biscuits or products result at their lapped Zones. These thicker biscuits will not bake as readily as those formed from the thinner portions of the sheet, and hence either the thicker biscuits are underbaked, or if they be properly baked, then the thinner biscuits are overbaked or burnt. In order to overcome this and other objections, I have, in

tus, one embodiment of which is herein represented.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, wherein, as stated, I have. shown one form of means for carrying out my process, I have therein represented the frame-work as composed of metallic, or other suitable side members 1, 2, connected in any suitable manner, and wherein the various operating parts are mounted. For convenience of de scription, I shall hereinafter refer to the receiving end of the apparatus as the front end thereof, and to the delivery end as the rear end thereof.

In accordance with the disclosed mechanism for carrying out my process, I provide a preferably traveling support for a mass of dough, and preferably means to reduc the same to preliminary sheet form, and other means further to reduce the thickness thereof. In the disclosed mechanism, the sheet is reduced to final form by the preliminary and the succeeding sheet-forming 1neans,but within the scope of'my invention, a greater number of sheet-forming means may be employed. Preferably also, said sheet-forming means are driven at successively higher speeds.

The main drive shaft is represented most clearly at 3 in Fig. 7, it being mounted in suitable hearings in the frame, and being provided with a loose pulley 4, which may be clutched. to the shaft by means of any suitable clutch 5, one form of which is indicated at 5 in Fig. 5. Therein I have represented a clutch-operating lever 6, pivoted at 7 upon a bracket 8 secured to the frame of the machine, said lever 6 having a transverse operating arm 9, extending through the apparatus and terminating in a handle 10 within convenient reach of the operative.

I preferably provide suitable means for driving the preliminary sheet former and the final sheet former at variable speeds, though, as stated, the final sheet former is preferably driven at all times at a higher rate of speed than the preliminary sheet former. While for this purpose any suitable mechanism may be employed, I have herein represented the said main drive shaft 3 as having splined thereon two cones 11, 12, supporting a driving belt 13 also passing about a second pair of cones 14, 15, splined upon a shaft 16, suitably mounted in the frame. Said cones are provided with hubs or sleeves, to which are suitably connected levers 17, 18, pivoted at 19, 20, upon suitable studs on a girder or other transverse member 21. Said levers 17, 18, at their opposite ends are provided with nuts 22, mounted upon the right and left-hand threads 23, 24 of a suitable screw-shaft 25, which may be turned in any suitable manner so as to move the members of said pairs of cones toward and from each other, and thus to vary the speed of the shaft 16. For

this purpose, and as shown most clearly in Fig. l, I have mounted upon the shaft 16 a sprocket gear 26, about which passes a sprocket chain 27, the latter also passing about a similar sprocket gear 28, mounted at a suitable point upon the frame, and having a handle 29, by means of which it may be turned in either directionso as, in the manner described, to change the position of the said cones 11, 12, 14 and 15. Preferably, also, I provide means for varying the speed of the final sheet former, and at the right-hand side of Fig. 7, I have represented a similar construction of parts. Therein, I have represented a shaft 30, mounted in suitable bearing-boxes in the framing, and driven by a sprocket chain 31 from the main drive shaft 3. Said shaft 30 has splined thereon cones 31, 32, and upon a parallel shaft 33 are splined cones 34, 35. About said cones passes a belt 36. Said cones are connected for adjusting movement by levers 37, 38, pivoted at 39, 40, upon a suitable cross girder or member 41. Said levers 37, 38 are provided at their forward ends with nuts 42, 43, mounted upon right and left-hand threads 44, 45, of a screw-threaded shaft 46. Said shaft 46 is herein represented as provided with a hand-wheel 47, by which it may be'turned in either direction.

In the manner described, or in any other suitable way, I drive the preliminary and final sheet formers at variable speeds.

The preliminary sheet former is herein represented as composed of two preferably metallic rolls 48, 49, shown most clearly in Fig. 6, and mounted in suitable manner in the side frames 1 and 2. WVhile these rolls may be driven in any suitable manner, I preferably provide the shaft 16 with a spiral gear contained within the casing 50, shown most clearly in Fig. 7, and meshing with a similar spiral gear. in the casing 51, surrounding an upright shaft 52 having fast thereon right and left worms 53, 54, meshing with worm wheels 55, 56, fast upon the said rolls 48, 49.

Preferably, I provide means whereby said rolls 48, 49, maybe positioned at different distances from each other, so as to secure any desired thickness of sheet. For this purpose, I have represented the lower roll 49 as mounted in a bearing-box 57, having a fixed position between upright portions 58, 59 of the framing. The bearing-bot 60 for the upper roll 48 is, however, adjustable, and for this purpose I have represented it as having suitably secured thereto a screw 61 threaded in a suitable stationary nut 62 upon the framing, and provided with ahand-wheel 63,. by means of which the said bearing-box 60 may be raised or lowered. In order to indicate the position of said bearing-box 60, I may provide any suitable construction, but have herein represented said bearing-box as having attached thereto a rack 64 meshing with a suitable pinion 65, upon an indicating disk 66 marked with numbers, or in any other suitable way, so as to be turned in either direction past a stationary pointer 67 upon the framing. In this manner, the operator can make a record of the distance apart of said rolls 48, 49, in securing any desired product, and may at any time set the rolls at precisely the same distance apart in securing the same product.

As shown most clearly in Figs. 2 and 3, I provide means for simultaneously adjusting both ends of the roll 48. For this purpose, I have herein represented the screw 61 as having fast thereon a sprocket gear 68, about which passes a sprocket chain 69, extending across the apparatus as shown in Fig. 3, and about a sprocket pinion 7 0 upon a sleeve 71, secured by a set screw 72 to a screw 73 at the opposite side of the machine. Said screw is similarly connected to a bearing-box 74, and in the manner described, adjustment of the bearing-box 74 may be effected- It will be observed that the worm 53 is considerably longer than the worm 54. This permits the adjustment of the upper roll 48 by rolling its worm wheel 55 along the worm 53.

It is sometimes desirable or necessary to effect independent adjustment of the bearing 74, because of the looseness of the chain 69, or for other reason. This may readily be effected by loosening the set screw 72, thereby disconnecting the sleeve 71 from the screw 73, whereupon said screw 73 may be independently adjusted by rotation of the hand-wheel 75 fast upon the upper end of said screw 73.

As shown most clearly in Fig. 6, I preferably provide a belt 76, passing about the lower roll 49, and also about a suitable guide-roll or support 77, the upper run of said belt being preferably horizontal.

Viewing Fig. 6, the said roll 49 is preferably provided with flanges, one of which is shown at 78 in Fig. 6, thus defining the lateral edges of the dough sheet.

Operatively in the rear of the sheet-forming rolls 48, 49, I provide a suitable support for the dough mass. This support is preferably a movable one, and as shown most clearly in Fig. 6, it preferably comprises a belt 79, the upper run of which is supported upon a suitable stationary guide, or member 80. The said belt passes about a series of rolls 81, 82, 83, at the feeding end of the apparatus, and about rolls 84, 85, between the same and the lower sheet-forming roll 49.

As shown most clearly in Fig. 2, the shaft 86 of the sheet-forming roll 49 has fast thereon a sprocket gear 87, about which passes a sprocket chain 88, likewise passing about a sprocket pinion 89 fast upon the shaft 90 of the roll 81, as shown most clearly in Fig 2. In this manner, the apron 79 is driven from the roll 49, but at a reduced speed. The roll 82 is provided to maintain a proper frictional engagement of the belt with the roll 81. It is driven from the former in any suitable manner, and for that purpose I have, in Fig. 1, represented the roll 81 as provided with a pinion 81, meshing with a similar pinion 82 fast upon the shaft of said roll 82. As shown in Fig. 2, I provide the said roll 82 at each end with a bearing-box 91, adjustable in any suitable manner, as by means of a hand-wheel 92, having a suitable screw 93 connected thereto. Preferably, also, I interpose an elastic cushion 94, of rubber or other suitable material, permitting yielding of the roll 82 in case of inequalities in the belt 79. The roll 83 is supported in any suitable manner in the framing, and is driven by the belt, as are also the rolls 84, 85.

Preferably, I provide some suitable form of belt-tightener. For this purpose, I have in Figs. 2 and 6 represented a shaft 95, having mounted thereon a bell-crank'lever' having arms 96, 97, provided with transverse members 98, 99 adapted to engage opposite surfaces of the belt, and thereby to slacken or tighten the same. The shaft may be turned in any suitable manner for the purpose, and as shown most clearly in Fig. 2, I have represented the said shaft as mounted at opposite sides of the machine in transverse members, one of which is indicated at 100 as spanning a suitable opening 101, permitting access to a ratchet 102 fast upon said shaft 95, and which may be turned manually or otherwise. The said ratchet may be held in adjustable position by a pawl 103.

The preliminary sheet-forming rolls 48, 49, I preferably term bonding rolls. Operatively in the rear thereof, and cotiperating with the belt 79, I mount a mangle roll 104, which may be of any suitable material, but preferably is metallic. This roll may be spaced at any suitable distance from the upper run of the belt 79, such distance being greater than that between the bonding rolls 48-49. Preferably, however, I provide means for elevating the said mangle roll, which latter may be driven in any suitable manner. Preferably, and as shown most clearly in Fig. 2, for this purpose I provide the said mangle roll 104 with suitable bearing boxes 105, mounted in suitable slotted supports 106 upon coiled springs 107. Upon one end of the shaft of said mangle roll 104 is fast a sprocket 108, and upon the corre sponding end of the shaft of the bonding roll 48 is a sprocket 109. About said sprockets is passed a sprocket chain 110, by means of which the said mangle roll is driven from the bonding roll 48, preferably at the same speed as the belt 79.

I preferably provide suitable means, such for example as that already described with reference to the upper bonding roll 48, to effect the vertical adjustment of the mangle roll 104.

As shown most clearly in Figs. 1 and 2, the bearing-boxes of said mangle roll 104 are provided with screws 111, extending upward therefrom, and passing through suitable stationary nuts 112 upon the framing. Upon the upper ends of said screws are fast handwheels 113, which are connected for simultaneous movement by a. sprocket chain 114, passing about suitable sprockets 115. In order to permit individual adjustment of said bearing-boxes 105, one of said sprockets, as for example that shown in Fig. 2, is fast upon a sleeve 116, which may be made fast by a set screw 117 to the corresponding screws 111. To indicate the adjustment of the bearing boxes 105, I have herein represented one of said boxes as provided with a rack 118, meshing with a pinion 119 upon the shaft of an indicating disk 120, provided with numerals or other indicating marks, and adapted to be turned past a fixed indicating finger 121. Beneath the boxes 105, I preferably provide supporting springs 122.

Succeeding, or operatively in advance of the bonding rolls 48, 49, and the belt 76 of the latter, I provide other sheet compressing means, which in the mechanism herein disclosed constitute the final sheet-forming means. While said succeeding final sheetforming means may partake of various forms, I preferably form the same of upper and lower traveling members, which preferably are driven at a higher rate of speed than the said bonding rolls 48, 49. Herein for the purpose, I have represented belt-like members. The said lower compression surface is composed of a belt 123, passing about a series of guide-rolls 124, 125, 126, 127, 128, and also about the end of a suitable support hereinafter to be referred to, as well as about a driving roll 129. In order to drive the said belt, the shaft 33, shown most clearly in Fig. 7, has fast thereon a sprocket pinion 130, passing about which is a sprocket chain 131, also passing about a sprocket gear 132, fast upon a shaft 133. Also fast upon said shaft, and preferably at the opposite end thereof, is a gear 134 (see Fig. 2), meshing with a pinion 134, itself meshing with a pinion 134 upon the shaft 135, having fast thereon at its opposite end a gear 136, which meshes with a gear 137 fast upon a roll 138.

provided, I have, as most clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2, provided brackets 142, 143, the former being pivoted to the table as indicated at 144, and the latter being secured thereto at 145, but in an adjustable manner.

The roll 128 is mounted upon the bracket 142, and the latter may be adjusted about its pivot 144 by a set screw 146 passing therethrough, and bearing against the bracket 143, which is itself provided with an adjusting screw 147 bearing against the bearing box 139. It will be understood that similar brackets 142 and 143 may be provided at the opposite sides of the apparatus, and equipped with similar adjusting means. In this manner, by adjustment of the brackets 142 and 143, the tightness of the belt may lever, the arms 149 and 150 whereof may, contact with opposite faces of said belt 143' Said shaft 148 is mounted in cross members, one of which is shown at 151 in Fig. 2 as spanning a suitable opening 152, permitting access to a ratchet 153 fast upon said shaft 148, and permitting rotative adjustment of the latter. Said ratchet is held in adjustable position by a pawl 154.

Above the belt 123, I provide a coeperating compression surface driven preferably at a speed. considerably in excess of that of the sheet of dough and, as previously stated, at a speed exceeding that of the bonding rolls 48, 49. Preferably, also, said cotiperating surface is spaced from the belt 123 at a distance less than that of the spacing of the bonding rolls 48, 49, so as to compress the sheet to the final thickness, which, however, may be varied as hereinafter set forth.

While the upper compressing surface may be of any suitable form, I have, as most clearly shown in Figs. '2 and 6, represented the same as composed of a series of small rolls 155, each loosely mounted upon a pintle of links 156 of a sprocket chain passing about a suitable cam, or form member, 157 at opposite sides of the apparatus. In order suitably to guide the said'rolls 155, I have, as'most clearly shown in Fig. 8, providedeach roll at opposite ends with smaller, loose rolls 158, riding upon the edges of said cam or form members 157.

The main driving shaft 3 is provided with a sprocket, about which passes a chain 159, also passing about a sprocket 160 fast upon a shaft 161, having bearing boxes 162 adjustably mounted,- as hereinafter described, in suitable guides 163. In order to convey motion from said shaft 161 to the rolls 155, I provide said shaft at opposite ends with sprocket gears 164, 165, shown most clearly in Fig. 8. The said sprocket gears 164, 165, receive rolls 166, loosely mounted with ball bearings upon the shafts 167 of the said rolls'155. In this manner, the said rolls, connected together in endless belt form, are guided about the cams or forms 157, and cotiperate with the belt 123, to impart the final compressing action to the sheet of dough. I

The length of the rolls 155, and the width of the apron or belt 123, are somewhat greater than the length of the bonding rolls 48, 49, to compensate for the reduced thickness of the sheet of dough, which thus is spread out into a wider sheet.

The rolls 155 travel bodily in the direction of travel of the sheet of dough, and be cause of the preferably high rate of speed of said bodily travel of said rolls faster than the sheet of dough and the close proximity of said rolls to each other, there is no chance for substantial expansion of the dough sheet between said rolls.

Preferably, I provide means whereby the cam or form members 157 may be adjusted at either or both ends, thereby permitting said members to be inclined either forwardly or rearwardly, or to be positioned in parallelism to the upper run of the belt 123. While for this purpose I may provide any suitable means, I preferably provide means similar to that shown for effecting adjustment of the bonding rolls 18, a9, and the mangle roll 10 1. Herein, I have repre sented the bearing boxes 162 for the shaft 161 supported upon coiled springs 168. The said boxes have suitably connected thereto screws 169, passing through suitable nuts 170, and one having a hand-wheel 171, said screws being connected by a sprocket chain 172, similar to those already described. To effect individual adjustment of the said boxes 162, I provide one of the said screws 169 with a sleeve 173, adapted to be made fast by a set screw 17 1, which, when loosened, permits said screw to be independently turned by its hand-wheel 171, in a manner already set forth.

In order to permit adjustment of the opposite ends of said cam or form members 157, I mount therein and in suitable boxes 176 a shaft 177, having thereon sprocket gears 178, shown most clearly in Fig. 8, and about which pass the small rolls 166 of the compression rolls 155. Suitably connected to said boxesare upwardly extending screws 179, to which are connected sprocket gears 180. About said gears passes a sprocket chain 181, permitting simultaneous adjustment of the said bearing boxes, and hence of the. corresponding end of the form or cam members 157. To permit individual adjustment of the screws 179, I provide suitable means, preferably such as herein before described. Herein, I have represented one of the screws 179 as having a sleeve 182 secured thereto by an adjustable set screw 183, upon loosening which the said screw 179 may be individually rotated by a. hand-wheel 184.

Beneath the boxes 176, I preferably position suitable springs 185. If desired, I may provide between the supports for the bearing boxes 162 and 176 coiled springs 186, whereby if said supports become loosened in any manner, they will nevertheless be held at a proper distance apart.

From the foregoing description, it will be clear that the dough mass may be placed upon the belt 79 and preliminarily compressed by the mangle roll 104, constituting one form of mass compressing surface, into I a thick, coarse sheet, after which the mass surfaces composed of the belt or apron 123 and the connected rolls 155. Although the spacing of the compressing surfaces may be varied, I customarily position the bonding rolls at 18, 19, about one and one-half inches apart, the rolls 155 being positioned about one-half inch above the belt or apron 123. The said bonding rolls may, however, be placed at varying distances, as for exam ple two or three inches apart. The sheet is delivered from the belt or apron 123 to the gaging rolls of the biscuit-cutting machine, not here shown, and which may be of usual construction.

By means of the gaging rolls of the biscuit cutting machine or in any other suitable manner, the biscuits or other products are severed from said sheet after the selfreadjustment thereof. It is important that a belt or like traveling surface be supported about the roller 19 in order to support the sheet of dough compressed thereagainst and formed thereon by the co-action of the rollers 18, 49. Without the employment of a belt, such as shown at 76, the dough sheet could not readily be supported without deformation and breakage and transferred to other compressing instrumentalities. Viewing Fig. 6, it will be observed that the dough sheet is passed directly from the belt 79 onto the belt 76 and then directly onto the belt 123, by all of which it is prevented from deformation. After compression, certain doughs contract and other doughs continue to flow, this depending generally upon the amount of sugar, a dough containing a small proportion of sugar contracting after compression and one containing a relatively high proportion of sugar expanding or flowing after compression. Such action of the dough I herein term generally a self-readjustment of the constituents thereof. To secure or effect such self-readjustment, which must for best results be effected before the biscuits are severed from the sheet, it is important that the dough sheet be freed from and preferably removed from the belt against which it was compressed, namely, the belt 76 to which it has stuck during and incidental to such compression, and so as to prevent the self-readjustment desired, and that it be delivered, without breakage or deformation, to another surface,in the present instance, to the belt 123. As the continuous dough sheet passes from the belt 76 to the belt 123, which it does without deformation or breakage, it has its opposite faces free and hence is in a condition in which such self-readjustment may and does occur. In the disclosed mechanism, the continuous dough sheet is recompressed upon and against the belt 123, and in pass- 1ng across the space between the rolls 125, 126, its opposlte faces are agam free and hence further self-read ustment occurs.

In carrying out my method, I form a continuous sheet by pressure from a mass of dough; compress said sheet in a transverse zone and simultaneously therewith effect an onward movement of said sheet in undeformed and unbroken condition past said zone of compression; effect a self-readjustment of the constituents of said continuous sheet by establishing a transverse zone thereof having free opposite faces, and finally sever the biscuits or other products from said sheet after said self-readjustment. If desired, I compress the self-readjusted sheet and if desired I effect one or more selfreadjustments of the constituents of said continuous sheet subsequent to the first selfreadjustment thereof.

According to the processes heretofore practised, and which I have already described, it was necessary to carry the short dough sheet from the machine or apparatus upon which it is formed to the biscuitcutting mechanism. This imposed a limitation upon the character of the dough to one which could be manually or otherwise readily transported from place to place. By the apparatus herein described, and in accordance with my method, I may form and operate upon a very short dough, which could not previously be handled because, in lifting it from the former to the biscuit cutter, it would break or crumble into pieces. For that reason, a short dough such asthat to which I refer has not heretofore been practically manufactured or placed upon the market; Such short dough is employed by me in making so-called digested biscuits of corn meal, or the like. Such dough contains less gluten, and hence is not bonded together to the same extent as other doughs. So far as I am aware, I am the first who has succeeded in manufacturing for commercial purposes biscuits or like products composed of such'so-called short dough.

I have discovered in the course of my experiments that the dough mass must be stepped down in thickness to final sheet form, and that it cannot be practically passed at once to the rolls of the biscuitcutting mechanism after passing through a single sheet-compressing means.

The length of the rolls 155 preferably exceeds that of the bonding rolls 48, 49 by two or more inches, but this amount may be suitably varied.

If desired, and within the scope of my invention, I may provide suitable means by which the cam or form members 157 may be.

simultaneously lifted or lowered at both ends. This may be effected in any suitable manner, as for example by providing a sprocket chain connecting the adjusting means for the various sets of bearing boxes, so that by turning a single hand-wheel, all four bearing boxes may be raised or lowered.

The rolls 155 I term smoothing rolls,-as they impart a final smoothing action to the sheet of dough, as it passes thereunder.

Having thus described the best mode known to me for carrying my process or method into effect, I desire it to be understood that although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense, and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being set forth in the followingclaims.

' I claim:

1. That method of forming a continuous dough sheet and biscuits or like products therefrom which comprises forming a con tinuous sheet by pressure from a mass of dough, compressing said sheet in a transverse zone and simultaneously therewith effecting an onward movement of said sheet in undeformed and unbroken condition past said zone of compression, effecting a selfreadjustment of v the constituents of said continuous sheet by establishing a transverse zone thereof having free, opposite faces preventing free expansion of said sheet in its course of travel immediately in advance of said zone, and further feeding the sheet for severance of the biscuits or other products from said sheet after said self-readjustment.

2. That method of forming a continuous dough sheet and biscuits or like products therefrom which comprises forming a continuous sheet by pressure from a mass of dough, compressing said sheet in a transverse zone and simultaneously therewith effecting an onward movement of said sheet in undeformed and unbroken condition past said zone of compression, effecting a selfreadjustment of the constituents of said continuous sheet by establishing a transverse zone thereof having free, opposite faces, maintaining a compressing pressure substantially constantly upon said self-readjusted sheet, thereby preventing rexpansion there of, and finally further feeding the sheet for severance of the biscuits or other products from said sheet. 5

3. That method of forming a continuous dough sheet and biscuits or like products therefrom which comprises forming a continuous sheet by pressure from a mass of dough, compressing said sheet in a transverse zone and simultaneously therewith effecting an onward movement of said sheet in undeformed and unbroken condition past said zone of compression, efiecting a selfreadjustment of the constituents of said continuous sheet by establishing a transverse zone thereof having free, opposite faces maintaining a compressing pressure substantially constantly upon said self-readjustment sheet, thereby preventing reexpansion thereof, similarly effecting a second self-readjustment of the constituents of said continuous sheet and finally further feeding the sheet for severance of the biscuits or other products from said sheet.

4. In a process for producing a continuous sheet of dough for use in biscuit making and like machines, subjecting an unformed mass of dough to successive reductions in thickness conveying the dough mass at increased speeds at succeeding portions of its course, compressing the same successively and supporting the dough material by a moving surface or surfaces throughout the production of the said sheet and prolonged throughout the production of the sheet in the direction of travel of the said sheet and extending past said area of compression.

5. That method of forming a continuous dough sheet and biscuits or like products therefrom, which comprises forming a continuous sheet by pressure from a mass of dough, compressing a sheet in a transverse zone and simultaneously therewith effecting an onward movement of said sheet in undeformed and unbroken condition past said zone of compression by supporting the dough material upon a traveling surface or surfaces prolonged in the direction of travel of the said sheet past said zone of compression, effecting a self-readjustment of the constituents of said continuous sheet by establishing a transverse zone thereof having free, opposite faces, and simultaneously moving said dough sheet at successively increasing speeds upon said surface or surfaces.

6. That method of forming a continuous dough sheet and biscuits or like products therefrom, which comprises forming a continuous sheet by pressure from a mass of dough, compressing said sheet in a trans verse zone, and simultaneously therewith effecting an onward movement of said sheet in undeformed and unbroken condition past said zone of compression by supporting the dough material upon a traveling surface or surfaces prolonged in the direction of travel of the said sheet past said zone of compression, effecting a self-readjustment of the constituents of said continuous sheet by establishing a transverse zone thereof having free, opposite faces, compressing said selfreadjusted sheet, similarly effecting a second readjustment of the constituents of said continuous sheet and simultaneously imparting successively increased speeds to said mass'of dough upon said surface or surfaces.

7. That method of forming a continuous dough sheet and biscuits or like products therefrom which comprises forming a continuous sheet by pressure from a mass of dough, continuously compressing said sheet in a transverse zone and simultaneously therewith efiecting an onward movement of said sheet in undeformed and unbroken condition past said zone of compression by supporting the dough material upon a traveling surface or surfaces prolonged in the direction of travel of the said sheet past said zone of compression, effecting a self-readjustment of the constituents of said continuous sheets by establishing a tranvserse zone thereof having free, opposite faces, and further feeding the sheet for severance of the biscuits or other products from said sheet.

8. That method of forming a continuous dough sheet and biscuits or like products therefrom which comprises forming a continuous sheet by pressure from a mass of dough, continuously compressing said sheet in a transverse zone, and simultaneously therewith effecting an onward movement of said sheet in undeformed and unbroken condition past said zone of compression by supporting the dough material upon a traveling surface or surfaces prolonged in the direction of travel of the said sheet past said zone of compression, eflecting a self-readjustment of the constituents of said continuous sheet by establishing a transverse zone thereof having free, opposite faces, continuously compressing said self-readjusted sheet, while at the same time supporting the same upon a moving surface pro-longed in the direction of travel of said sheet, similarly effecting a second self-readjustment of the constituents of said continuous sheet and finally further feeding the sheet for severance of the hiscuits or other products from said sheet.

9. That method of forming a continuous dough sheet and biscuits or like products therefrom which comprises forming a continuous sheet by pressure from a mass of dough, continuously compressing said sheet in a transverse zone, and simultaneously therewith effecting an onward movement of said sheet in undeformed or unbroken condition past said zone of compression by supporting the dough material upon a traveling surface or surfaces prolonged in the direc tion of travel of the said sheet past said zone of compression, effecting a self-readjustment of the constituents of said continuous sheet by establishing a transverse zone thereof having free, opposite faces, continuously compressing said readjusted sheet by the forward movement of opposing surfaces prolonged in the direction of travel of the sheet, and similarly effecting a second readjustment of the constituents of the said continuous sheet.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EDWARD E. LAWRENCE.

Witnesses:

MYRICK LAMBERT ARTHUR, Tnnononn B. GoooH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Eatents,

Washington, D. G.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1,210,496, granted January 2,

{1 117, upon the application of Edward E. Lawrence, of Cambridge, Massachusetts, for an improvement in Processes of Producing Continuous Sheets of Dough for Biscuits or like Products, an error appears in the printed specification requiring cr rection as follows: Page 6, line 126, claim 3, for the compound Word self-readjustment read self-readjusted; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Oflice.

Signed and sealed this 6th day of February, A. D., 1917.

[SEAL] R. F. WHITEHEAD,

' Acting Uomm'iss'ioner of Patents.

Correction in Letters Patent No. 1,210,496 

